I wrote this review of part of Keishon’s monthly TBR Challenge. It’s sort of a cheat as the book spent all of two days on my TBR shelf. However, it fits the suggested theme for this month which is new authors or authors you haven’t read in a long time. Karen Marie Moning is definitely a new-to-me author and Urban Fantasy is still a fairly new-to-me genre.
Darkfever is the first title in Karen Marie Moning’s Fever series. Although the spine proclaims it to be a romance, this is not the case. I’d classify it as Urban Fantasy Lite.
I’ll say straight up that I had a few reservations when starting Darkfever as it is a) set in Dublin – my hometown and b) it’s a paranormal. Although I’m slowly being won over by some Urban Fantasy authors, it is not a genre to which I naturally gravitate. Despite my hesitance – and a few inevitable inconsistencies – I found Darkfever compulsively readable.
MacKayla “Mac” Lane is a pampered Southern gal with no ambitions beyond improving her suntan. Her life of leisure comes to an abrupt end when her student sister, Alina, is found brutally murdered in Dublin, Ireland. With zero evidence and no leads, the Gardai (Irish police) are forced to conclude the case is a dead end. Mac refuses to accept this, especially after hearing a strange message Alina left on her voicemail right before she died. Against her parents’ wishes, she decides to fly to Dublin to investigate herself.
Naïve and clueless, Mac hasn’t the first idea where to start. She’s never travelled much and this is her first time overseas. Struggling to understand the Irish accent (heh, heh), she feels lost and alone. On one of her first evenings in Dublin, she has a weird vision in a pub and thinks she sees a handsome man transform into a monster. Putting it down to grief and Guinness, Mac tries to forget the experience. When she continues to see strange things in the shadows, she’s certain she’s going insane.
When a chance rainstorm leads her to take shelter in Barrons’ Books and Baubles, Mac encounters Jericho Barrons, an enigmatic book dealer with anger management issues. Recognizing her as a fellow fae-seer, Jericho urges her to forget about Alina’s murderer and return home to Georgia for her own safety. Mac refuses to be intimidated and more or less forces Jericho to educate her on the fae and become her reluctant ally in the search for the sinister sinsar dubh (an evil book of some sort).
What follows is a fast-paced story with a ridiculous-but-fun plot. Mac is naïve and far too trusting but I think she wised up considerably over the course of the book. Barrons is a brilliant character. He’s utterly ruthless and shows no remorse for his actions. There’s a definite chemistry between Mac and Barrons, although there is no sex in this book – I believe their story arc is set to continue over the course of the five-book series. I’m curious to see how Moning develops Barrons’s character as he currently makes Anne Stuart’s darkest heroes seem tame.
Inevitably, there were a few inaccuracies which made me wince. The description of certain Dublin architecture and the pronunciation of Irish/Gaelic phrases gave me definite pause. However, I went into the story on the assumption that Moning’s version of Dublin and Dubliners would not necessarily fit my own experience. Given that the book is an Urban Fantasy, it made it easier to relativize these inconsistencies and remind myself that this an alternate reality Dublin and doesn’t have to be 100% accurate.
I wavered between a B and a B Minus for this book. Despite the flaws and the silly plot, Darkfever sucked me in and kept me turning the pages until the very end. It also left me wanting more. For this reason alone, I can’t justify giving it less than a straight B.
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Why did you find the plot silly? Just curious – was it because of her abilities and the way Barrons used her?
I found Mac herself to be silly at the beginning but then she grows hard and realizes life isn’t all about being pretty. And I agree – Barrons is a great character. So much left of him to discover.
I wouldn’t call it UF, personally.
Mac really annoyed me. And I was really annoyed with myself for picking up the second book just to read about Barrons because I don’t allow myself to do things like that, but that’s another review.
I’m not sure what annoyed me most, the silly plot or the protagonist.
@Mandi @M I’m not a huge paranormal fan and I’m therefore less tolerant of fantastical storylines. The idea of a mega rich bookseller amused me no end as this is not usually a lucrative profession. Perhaps more about where Jericho Barrons gets his money will be revealed in subsequent books. I’m definitely going to read Bloodfever and see if this is a series I want to follow through to the end.
I was wondering how you’d like the book. I’m glad any inconsistencies or errors weren’t enough to turn you off the story. It really is engaging, isn’t it? I’m sad it will only be 5 books.
Sarah, you are becoming another one of my favorite reviewers. You always make me think of something new. You rock!
I see – darn and I thought could open my own bookstore and be rich!! LOL.
I have to agree with Stacy – I love how you word your reviews..always a joy to read.
@Stacy ~ Thank you, Stacy! Back atcha!
I’m relieved this will only be five books. I’m sick of starting series which have no foreseeable end and run and run without achieving any kind of resolution. This happened with Janet Evanovich’s Plum series and it is in danger of happening with J.R. Ward’s Black Dagger Brotherhood. I think a set number of books is particularly important when they feature a continuing story arc with a couple of characters. At the very least, the romance between Mac and Barrons needs to be resolved. I’m still bitter about the neverending Stephanie-Morelli-Ranger love triangle!
@Mandi Thank you, Mandi! And again: back atcha! Seriously, the best part about blogging has been discovering so many cool blogs.
I have jumped on the Fever bandwagon. Keep hearing interesting things about Barrons. Oh my, but how will I ever read all 4 books??
Aaaack, another series! Well, I do have a thing for eccentric bookstore owners, so I might give it try.
I don’t know any rich booksellers, a lot of crazy ones though.. you have to be mad to get into the game I think. lol
@katiebabs You read four books? Never! It might take you all of 48 hours to get through them!
@heidenkind The only eccentric bookseller I know has a personal hygiene problem. Thankfully, the fictional Barrons is very clean!
@Edie The guy I mentioned also fits the crazy category.
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